Safety attachment for automobiles.



T. B. JEFFREY, DEGD. K. n.-, 0. T. & H. w. JEPIERY, EXEGUTORS. SAFETY ATTACHMENT POE AUTOMOBILES.

- Ammonium FILED DEO.30,19 09.

Patented July 12, 1910."

' the engine isunclutched from the transmis- I nected with the propelling cated at 9. Normally the crank lies in its JEFFERY, AND HAROLD w. JEFFERY nxncurrons or SAID THOMAS E. JEFFERY, DECEASED. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 12, 11910, Application filed December 30,4909. Serial No. 535,606.

'1 0 all whom/it may concern; I

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. JEFFERY, l a citizen of the United States, residing at l Kenosha, county of Kenosha, State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Safety Attachments for 'Automobilesand declare the following i to be a full, clear, and exact description of idle position with the teeth out of mesh, and when it is desired to crank the engine the crank is forced inwardly so as to bring the teeth into interlocking engagement with i each other.

In accordance with my invention I videa lockin crank from I) relation to the device which will prevent the eing brought into operative the same, such as will enable others skilled engine shaft unless the clutch in the art to which it pertains to make and has been thrown out, thereby preventing I use the same, reference being had to the accidents due to starting of the automobile accompanying drawings, which form a part at the time of cranking. This locking deof this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a safety device for makingit impossible to set an automobile engine in rotation by means of the usual starting crank unless the movable member of the clutch. In the arrangement shown there is provided a-lever S1011 shaft or other driving member conwheels.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will herein.- after be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a full understanding of my invention and of ,its object and advantages reference may be had to the fol lowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the front portion of the frame of an automobile showing the engine, clutch, starting crank, and my improved safety device; and Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, less of the mechanism being shown, however,andthe parts being in different positions than in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the, frameo'f an automobile, B the engine, 0 the starting crank, E the usual fly wheel, and F a movable clutch member which cooperates with a portion of the fly wheel to clutch the engine shaft G to the transmis- I some stationary part and extends behind a collar 0 011 the crank.

To the lever is c onnected an elongated strut K which projects rearwardly and is connected at its rear end to a lever L pivoted at one end to the frame as at Z, The free end of the lever L extends into proximity to the member F and is there pro vided with a fork L which receives an an- I nular shoulder f on the member F. hen

the clutch is in, as shown in Fig. 1, the

shoulder f carries thefree end of the lever L forwardly and through the strut holds vthe lever I in a. position wherein it prevents l l l the crank from moving inwardly far enough to interlock the teeth.

When the movable member of the clutch is disengaged from the cooperating member so as to disconnect the engine from the transmission shaft, as shown InFigLQ, the lever L is carried rearwardly a suflicient into operative relation with the engine shaft, It will thusbe seen that I have provided a simple and effective expedient for guarding against accidents due to starting l of automobiles engines thereof.

While I have described in detail only a single embodiment of my invention, not desire to be limited to the structural details described, forms and'arraugements whichfall within sion shaft H. 1 is an actuating member for the movable clutch member. All of these parts may, of course, take an'yusual or preferred forms, those shown being simply examples of the general types. In the ar- 'rangement shown the crank is ofthe type I which has a series of ratchet teeth, as inwhich are adapted to mesh with similar teeth on the engine shaft as 1ndi- I which is hinged atone end, as at 2', to

distance to permit the crank to be broughtat the time of cranking the but intend, to cover all the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

What I claim is:

5 1. In an automobile having an engine, a.

transmission shaft, a clutch between the eninc and the transmission shaft, a start-,

mg crank for the engine movable between an operative position and an idle position,

10 and means associated with said clutch for locking said crank in the idle-position when thetwo members of the clutch-are engaged -clutch for locking displacement 'when the clutch members are ated with the movable member of" the i;

said abutment against in engagement with each other. 7

3. In an automobile having anengine, a 25 transmission shaft, a clutch between the engine and the said shaft, a starting crank for the engine movable between an operative position and an idle position, and means associated with one' member of the clutch 30 for preventing the startingcrank from as-' suming its operative position when said member of the clutch is in engagement with its cooperating member.

In testimony whereof, I sign this speci- 5 fication in the presence of two witnesses.

I HOMAS B. JEFFERY. Witnesses:

WM. F. FREUDENREICH, RUnYV. Bnrnens. 

